


Aftermath

by TanyaReed



Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: Episode Related, Friendship, Gen, Patty's not a traitor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-09
Updated: 2017-01-09
Packaged: 2018-09-16 02:13:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9269156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TanyaReed/pseuds/TanyaReed
Summary: Jack wants things to be the way they used to be.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is my reaction to last Friday's episode. It will be AU after the next episode, but I just don't see Patty as a traitor. My muse wants me to write a long fic as the prequel to this fic, and I might, but I also might not. I think this story stands on its own. I guess all you have to know is that the organization that set her up as the mole captured her because they wanted her secrets too.

When Patty answered the door, Jack studied her carefully. She was dressed in a long silk robe, and her hair was loose around her shoulders. She looked weary in a way that couldn't just be blamed on lack of sleep, and there was no light in her dark eyes. There were a few bruises on her face and one on the flesh revealed at the top of her robe. She looked a little worse for wear but softer too.

Despite her strength, Jack had always hated seeing her hurt, so he tried not to fixate on the purple and black marks marring her skin. Instead, he met her calm gaze.

“Jack,” she said, her face expressionless.

“Hey. Can I come in?”

She hesitated before shrugging and opening the door. Her apartment was more feminine and less spartan than Jack had expected. He tried not to gawk as he took in her floral curtains and the vase of lilies on her table.

“What do you want?” she asked, shutting the door behind him.

“I came to apologize,” he said honestly.

Surprise flickered briefly over her face. It was the first time he could remember actually surprising her.

“I should have believed you,” he continued, pushing through a feeling of awkwardness that tried to silence him when she watched him intently. “I should have asked more questions.”

“There was a lot of evidence.”

“You were part of the team.”

She shook her head. “You never thought of me as part of the team.”

“Well, we should've. You always showed up to save our asses. When it was our turn...”

“He did a very good job. Even I almost believed I was the mole.”

Was that a joke? Jack was often amazed at his boss's—ex-boss's--inability to find the humour in anything. Finding out she might have a sense of humour was almost as unsettling as finding her beaten and bloody in that basement a few days before. 

“Even so,” he took a step towards her, not liking the memories that were crowding in, “I'm sorry.”

“There's no need to apologize.”

Besides the bruises, there was nothing to show her team's mistake had almost killed her. “Patty.”

She'd been avoiding his gaze, but when he said her name, she met his eyes. He saw a crack in her armor, a hint of pain.

He wanted to touch her but her posture warned against it. “I should have believed in you.”

“Trust no one,” she said softly.

“Do you trust me?”

She paused before admitting, “Yes.”

“Even though I go off the grid and sometimes disobey orders and call you Patty?”

“Yes.” He could see she meant it.

“Are you coming back?”

She turned away. “Who would work with me now? Even proven innocent, there will be some who believe the lie. It won't work. It would have been better if they'd killed me. Unpleasant but better.”

He stared at her. “We didn't break our asses saving you so you could give up.”

“There's nothing left for me.”

“We'd work with you.”

“The brain's a funny thing. Now doubts have been planted, they'll always be there. The four of you need to trust me completely, and you won't be able to.”

“Why don't you let us be the judge of that?”

She smiled a small, tight smile. “You know I'm right this time.”

“No...No, I don't. I'm not gonna let you sit here and rot in self pity.”

The smile vanished, and her expression hardened. “This is the way it has to be.”

He did touch her then, his hand on her arm. Her skin was warm against his. She glanced down, but she didn't pull away.

“Why does this matter so much to you?” she asked eventually.

“We're a team. The five of us. You're our anchor. Do you think anyone else will give us the freedom to do what we have to do then run in and pick up the pieces when it all goes sideways?”

“Is that why you're here?” She sounded almost relieved.

“What do you mean?”

“You don't want to lose the freedom I afford you?”

He dropped his hand. “No. That's not it.” Her eyes probed his. “Well, not all of it. Listen, we followed the clues he gave us, but we didn't follow them far enough. We missed it.” And she'd almost died because of it.

She sighed and didn't even bother to hide the weariness this time. “It's over. You've apologized. I've accepted. We can't change it.”

“Have you been offered your job back?”

“That's not important.”

“Come on, Patty, don't hold out on me.”

“Let it go, Jack.”

“No.”

“If this is just about your freedom...”

“We're better with you than without you.”

She blinked.

“And you're our friend.” When she didn't answer, he continued, “No frame up job is going to make that untrue.”

“Fine.” She raised a hand in capitulation. “I'll think about it.”

“That's all I ask.”

“Okay, now that you've apologized and tried to convince me to come back to Phoenix, is there anything else you needed to get off your chest?”

“I suppose a hug is out of the question,” he ventured.

“Don't push it.”

He grinned, showing his teeth. “Same old Patty,” he teased, but he recalled the sweet kiss on the cheek she'd given him at Christmas.

“It's getting late.”

“All right, I'll go.” He was still grinning. “I've said my piece. What would you do if you retired, anyway? Teach self-defense classes? Join the police force? Oh, I know. Private detective!”

“Good-bye, Jack.”

She walked him to the door with just the hint of a smile on her face. Her eyes had warmed some, and she seemed more relaxed. Even though he knew she was right when she said the mole had done an excellent job of framing her, he still felt guilty. Every time he remembered the way they'd found her, he felt personally responsible. His apology had been heartfelt, and he wished he could do more to show her so.

When she opened the door, he said, “Get some sleep. You look exhausted.”

“I'll try.” It sounded almost honest. Unguarded.

“Call me if you need anything.”

“I won't.”

He didn't know if she meant she wouldn't call or she wouldn't need him. “I know.”

The smile appeared, just slight and soft, but it was there. She briefly touched his face. “Thank you.”

“You're welcome.”

There was more he could have said, but he left it there, the memory of her hand on his cheek almost enough to drive away the thoughts of her burns, cuts, and bruises. He felt as if a burden had been lifted from him, and he thought she did as well.

He wondered how long it would take for her to come back to work. He hoped she wouldn't take too long.


End file.
